The Hunger Games: A Book Review

Genre: Dystopian/Action/Adventure

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up

Summary: Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

My Review: This was a very interesting read for many reasons. One: It was outside my usual genre and truthfully my comforts zone. Two: The whole time I was reading it, I wasn't sure if I found it truly compelling and thought provoking. I've read many reviews about it, some stating it to be the best book ever, others saying it was terrible and very gruesome. I wasn't going to read it, but finally saw it at my library and decided to give it a try if only to develop my own opinion of it.

With vivid description and sparse dialogue Suzanne Collins takes you through Katniss Everdeen's experience through the dreaded Hunger Games. I've heard this book described as awesome. I couldn't disagree more. There is nothing awesome about children being forced to kill each other. Unfortunately I can't think of a more appropriate word to describe it. The book left me with a sick stomach, not from content (although the killings, particularly near the end we're quite horrifying) but from total lack of closure and hope as well as that awful added note "End of Book One". The hope I can forgive seeing as it's the first book. I was going to read book two, until I found it threw Katniss right back into the Hunger Games. Let me tell you something: this book is exhausting, strangely enough physically as well as emotionally. By the end I felt like I, personally had been pushed through the Hunger Games (minus having to take anyone's life) and there was no way I was going back. You may not believe me but really it was. Also the disappointment that the 2nd book didn't have Katniss getting together an awesome army of friends to combat the capital was overwhelming.

Katniss is an okay character. I admired her for stepping up to save her sister, and for staying away from killing her fellow Hunger Game mates for as long as possible. There was some emotion in her particularly during a very tragic death scene, but even though I'm in her head the whole time, at the end of the book I still felt like I didn't know her. It also felt that the little rebelling she did do, was accidental, and with no real meaning behind it other than saving herself. I have no opinion of Gale, he seems like a nice guy, he likes Katniss, but he was only in the beginning for a little bit. Peeta, well I liked him but only because he was one: in it more, and two: reminded me of a person I am quite fond of. My favorite character was definitely Haymitch, Katniss and Peetas' trainer. His character development, from drunkard slob, to tough trainer was nicely written as well as his relationship with Katniss, one of outward friction, and eventual inner respect. I also liked little Rue, Katniss's adopted sister in the games. She added a vulnerability to Katniss that we might of missed out on. At the end we get a little peek at President Snow, the evil ruler of the Capitol and all of Panem. He's the sick mind behind the Hunger Games and doubtless we get to know more about him in the other two books. Too bad I am completely devoid of any interest in whatever battle will unfurl.

Content: Violence. Lots of it. Involving kids and young teens.

Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5

Recommend: If you like this sort of thing...

Musing Mondays (Mar.7)

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Todays question is: What book(s) are you most excited about right now? (it can either be something you’re currently reading, or something you just bought, or a book/books that are soon to be published).

The book I am currently very excited about is the sequel to Beth Fantaskey's book Jessica's Guide to Dating the Dark Side. It was a really funny and interesting book, and so I was glad to hear Beth was going to be revisiting her awesome characters Jessica and Lucius in Jessica Rules the Dark Side~! The book will be released in the Winter of 2011-12, but you can read an excerpt on Beth Fantaskey's website. :D

Top Ten Tuesday: Books you just had to buy...but are still sitting on my bookshelf.

Top Ten tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish~! This weeks topic is one I can really relate to. In fact I think any true bibliophile can relate to it. You know those books you have to have...and then never read, or at least it takes you years to get to them. Well here's a chance to write down your top ten.

1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley: A little girl slueth with a penchant for poison. I should have had this book finished 3 hours after having it in my hands. I've wanted to read this book for ages but every time I try to, something gets in the way and I can't seem to finish it. It's very shaming.

2. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan: Love this guy, he is one of my favorite authors ever, and I bought this for my birthday last year. Alas I tried reading it a couple months ago, and never picked it up since. :(

3. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery: I bought this one way before The Red Pyramid and was so excited to read it even way before that. Yet I haven't even picked it up in ages. It's on my to read list this year though. I will read it..!

4. Invisible I by Melissa Kantor/Stella Lennon: This is an exciting YA mystery series I heard about two years ago from one of the first blogs I joined. I instantly dragged my mother to Target just so I could pick up a copy. Tried to read it. Really. Put it back just for a second. Didn't pick it up again.

5. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev: I bought this because everyone raved about it, saying it was brilliant. So I thought "I love brilliant books. I should buy it, and read it." Like I would get through it over the weekend. Haha. Haha.

6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld: In my defense the pictures were so detailed and awesome I got the whole story from them, and figured I didn't even have to read the book. :P

7. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke: I loved Inkheart and figured this one would be no different. It's really old...really really old buy.

8. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephenie Barron: Pre-published Jane Austen turned super sleuth. Seriously? What's wrong with me?

9. Worldshaker by Richard Harland: Yet another steampunk book I just had to have...

10. No Place For Magic by E.D. Baker: This is the fourth in the series, and I read the other 3 fairly quickly. They were fun, well written, and small books. So why is this one collecting dust?

Well that's it for me in the book buying book reading fail department. What about you? What books did you think you'd die without having, but stay on your shelves months after getting them?

Musing Monday (Feb. 28)

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This weeks question is: Which do you prefer: Adult -or- Young Adult books? Or, both? Why?

I would have to say that I enjoy both, but only certain genre's. I love adult mysteries, because one: there are more adult mysteries then YA and two: they're usually very focused on the plot aspect, which I love. So if there are two characters you want to get together in an adult mystery you better have some patient because it won't happen for a while. :P Not that I haven't found clever YA mysteries, I have they're just not as abundant. In YA, I love reading fantasy/paranormal (there's an overflow) and regular day in a life comedy novels.

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday(Feb. 25)

It's time for another Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy-for-books~! Head on over to check out all the other wonderful book blogs on the internet. :D This weeks BBH question is: "Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?"

Hahaha~! No way I love my blog name, I think it sounds cozy, and I hope you think so too. :D What about you? Do you wish you could change your blog name? Are you going to if you do? Leave you answer in the comment section and tell me all about it. :D

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View and is another way to meet lot's of new book bloggers~! They also have a featured blogger so go on over and check it out~! This week's Question is:

Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it...

My Favorite TV show for about over a year now has been Doctor Who, a british sci-fi series about a seemingly normal looking alien who travels all of time and space in his frequently faulty spaceship called the TARDIS which looks like a 1960 police telephone box. He usually travels with a human, and takes them on all sorts of fantastic and dangerous adventures where they meet famous people from history, or bizarre aliens either good, or bad. The Doctor (as the main character is called) also has a special ability unique to his race (Timelords) that allows him to cheat death. Every time he's dying his body can transform itself into a completely new and undamaged body allowing him to live again. The show started in 1963 and is still going on. The Doctor has changed his body 11 times so far, and has gone through a lot more companions. Currently the Doctor (Matt Smith) is traveling with his companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams. (Arthur Darvill...but I couldn't find a group shot with him. -_-;)So what's your favorite TV show? Tell me all about it, or put the link to you answer in the comment section. :D

WWW Wednesday (Feb.23)

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan and Right Side Talking by Bonnie Rozanski.

• What did you recently finish reading? The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (review coming soon) and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I went psycho in the library and got out all sorts of books so I have a lot to choose from. First on my list though is Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (steampunk~!!) and Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. I haven't read a classic this year. Shame on me. :P

Confessions of a Shopaholic: A Book Review

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Reading Level: Ages 18 and up

Summary: Meet Rebecca Bloomwood.

She’s a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money.
She spends her leisure time … shopping.

Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can’t. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The stories she concocts become more and more fantastic as she tries to untangle her increasingly dire financial difficulties. Her only comfort is to buy herself something – just a little something…

Can Becky ever escape from this dream world, find true love, and regain the use of her Switch card?

Confessions of a Shopaholic… the perfect pick me up for when it’s all hanging in the (bank) balance.

My Review: This frothy chick-lit novel is easy and fun to read. It's also amazingly British, so if you are a fan of British comedy it's an added bonus to your overall enjoyment. Sophie Kinsella set's up several hilarious situations, one after another, for our heroine Becca Bloomwood to work through. Becca's struggle with her desire to shop while a vast cloud of debt hangs over her head, carries much of the plot. Kinsella adds a tiny sub-plot near the end where Becca finds a financial article that she cares enough to write about, but it's added so late into the book you don't really care about it. All that I cared about at least was if Becca would finally be able to overcome her addiction to shopping. Seeing as there are 6 more books in the series you can imagine I was somewhat disappointed.

On the upside Becca Bloomwood was a fantastic narrator, her thought process was hilarious! I loved all of the wildly imaginative scenario's she thought up in her head, and how things never turned out like she expected. As a person who is frequently prone to similar mistakes, It was fun to find I wasn't the only one. :P I enjoyed Becca's friend, she was a nicely written character, in so much as she seemed like a good friend to have although she did unintentionally feed into our heroines addiction. All of the side characters had their own special flair, even though they were not that fleshed out, and fit well into the story. There was only one character I really did not like, and it was unfortunately Becca's love interest Luke Brandon. I found him to be amazingly boring, rude, and overall just not that fantastic. He was a bit of a jerk to Becca, I enjoyed that she called him out on his behavior earlier in the novel, but their romance in the end seemed far to rushed for my liking. I was hoping they wouldn't get together, even though I knew they would.

Content: Harsh language, and sexual references and situations.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Recommend: For Chick lit fans.